Can't connect Bluetooth audio devices from the UI for the first time

[peterbozso]

Batocera build version

39 2024/03/04 10:11

Your architecture

Lenovo ThinkPad T480

Your Graphic Processor Unit(s) (GPU)

CPU: i5-8350U; GPU: Intel® UHD Graphics 620

Issue description

I wanted to connect my JBL Charge 5 soundbar to Batocera to use it for audio output and I couldn't do it from the UI.

Detailed reproduction steps

1. On the soundbar: turn it on, push the Bluetooth button. The soundbar starts looking for devices to pair to - while periodically playing an audio indicator and flashing its Bluetooth button.
2. On EmulatorStation's main screen: Menu > Controller & Bluetooth settings > Pair a Bluetooth device manually. Select my soundbar. Batocera shows: "Please wait..."
3. After a while, Batocera stops. The soundbar will show up in the "Forgot a Bluetooth device" menu, but the connection is still not established, the soundbar is still in "pairing mode" (see first step).

I've tried the same with a pair of Beats Fit Pro headset: exact same results.

Details of any attempts to fix this yourself

Set up the connection manually: https://wiki.batocera.org/bluetooth_controllers_-_manual_setup

Now it all works.

I've even tried to remove the device through the UI ("Forgot Bluetooth device" menu) and redo all the steps above. Now I am able to establish the connection that way too. But it didn't work the first time.

I had the exact same experience with both the soundbar and the headset.

Details of any modifications you have made to Batocera.

None.

Logs and data

No response

[dmanlfc]

Try v40. All my headphones & bluetooth speakers pair first time without issue. (Bose QC35 II, Sony WF-1000XM4, Sennheiser Momentum 4, Apple Airpods, Bose SoundTouch, JBL Flip 6).
We can't fix quirks with certain bluetooth adapters & devices you just have to try an updated BT stack.
In Linux that's the Kernel, Bluez utils, GStreamer libraries and device firmware. All these get updated every Batocera version.
Recently for v41 I added LDAC & aptX codec support also.

[DubaiShark]

Also don't forget to update the device(controllers, headset, PC bios, etc) firmware if there's any to ensure compatibility